Burton Island (AGB 1) - Naval Cruise Book

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fContinued on Page 421 SCIENTIFIC WORK Dr. Little and Mr. Hicks of the U. S. Navy Electronics Laboratory were the scientists who made the Spring Cruise. Their primary endeavor was to take water samples from pre-selected oceanographic stations throughout the Bering Sea. However, when the opportunity presented itseif, neither scientist missed a chance to obtain ice samples, which they stored in a deck reefer. The results of the study of this cruise will be of particular interest since relatively little data is available for this time of the year. - .IOINT CANADIAN-U.S. BEAUFORT SEA EXPEDITION-1954 This year marks the fifth consecutive summer the USS BURTON ISLAND has been engaged in scientific :research in the Beaufort Sea. Although for the past four years the expeditions in which she has taken part have been in cooperation with Cana- dian activity, her efforts and findings far outweigh those of any other ship operating in the western Arctic. Moving eastward through the Beaufort Sea and making extensive sorties into the Arctic pack her work has taken her gradually closer to the Canadian archipelago. Last year our efforts took us into the first important link in the Northwest Pas- sage, Prince of Wales Strait. The expedition of 19541 represented the most intensive effort to date. McClure Strait was the target and the availability of both the USCGC NORTI-IWIN D and the USS BURTON ISLAND permitted a maximum effort. Our purpose was to sound McClure Strait, to study the oceanography of the area, and to explore any parts of the Beaufort Sea that might open up. We had already confirmed the existence of a good channel through Prince of Wales Strait-what we wanted to know was whether the Strait to the north represented a deep water channel which would serve as another western entrance to the Northwest Passage. Due to favorable ice conditions, and the support of the USCCC N ORTHWIN D, we were able to answer the question that had been put. Not only that, but the NORTHWIND was able to penetrate well into Viscount Melville Sound and survey a large area north of Victoria Island which opened up after a long spell of southerly winds. Finally, late in the season, HMCS LABRADOR surveyed a large area north and west of Point Barrow that had been a blank area on our charts since 1951. A very important part of the expedition's effort was the establishment of EPI stations. These electronic aids to navigation are essential to hydrographic surveying in the Arctic, for there is no point in running sounding lines if you don't know where you are. The shore station-s had to be placed on or near the north coast of Banks Island, and the problem of their recovery had to be kept in mind continuously. We were more fortunate in our choice than the NORTHWIND-the EPI station we established at Rus- sell Point operated continuously during the entire season. The N ORTHWIND had to pick hers up just a few days aftefr it was established, and after that she was saddled with the responsibility of lying at anchor as a fixed EPI station while the BURTON ISLAND crossed and recrossed the McClure Strait. Mr. Chuck Richardson of USNEL was the civilian attached to the Point Rus- sell EPI station. I-Ie reported that its efficient operation was the result of faithful work on the part of the entire shore comple- ment under the capable direction of Chief Reeder. On board, Chief E. I. Mayer and G. F. Clay, ET3, kept the EPI equipment running, and the EPI operators brought in the fixes in spite of atmospheric and radio interference.